I'm losing a hen AND ANOTHER QUESTION!

[gritsar]

When I let the chickens out this morning I found Maggie in the coop, standing facing a corner. She did not hightail it out of the coop with the others. I thought she might be thinking about laying an egg, so I moved her to a nestbox. A few minutes later when I checked her again, she was back in the corner.
I cannot find anything wrong with her. She's not eggbound (that I can tell), she looks normal other than her comb and wattles color is a little pale and she's panting, when the others are not. DH thinks it's heat stress. But why heat stress now when the temps. are no worse than they've been for the past six weeks, even a little cooler maybe?
I syringe fed her some cool electrolytes water and put her on a roost directly in front of the fans. Her color is a little better and she's no longer panting.
I don't know what else to do for her! Should I bring her inside to the a/c in a crate? I'm afraid the move would stress her out more.
She's a 16 month old LF brahma hen. They have layer pellets, oyster shell and water available 24/7. They free range all day. There's nothing new or different in their enviroment.
I'm very frustrated because I raised these birds to a year old without a single fatality. Then I lost Tinker at 13 months old, due to a probable heart attack. Now Maggie is going down!

Help!!!!

 

[gritsar]

I'm going to set up the crate and move her inside to the a/c if anyone doesn't have any better ideas?

 

[redhen]

I'd bring her inside. Get her cooled down and give her cool water with electrolytes. Sorry about your girl!

 

[gritsar]

Okay, I just went out to the coop to check on her before getting the crate and bringing it inside. As I'm walking out to the coop I hear the egg song being sung very loud. I thought it was Brigid cuz she wallks around singing the egg song. No, it's Maggie. Still sitting where I left her (in front of the fans), singing the egg song very loud. She hasn't laid an egg.
I give up!

Thanks redhen. I'm going to go set up the crate now.

 

[obe10]

could she be eggbound? feel below the vent and around the underside. if you feel a lump she is most likely eggbound.

 

[wegotchickens]

Good luck with Maggie!!
Hoping she's just feeling a bit poorly and will perk back up for you.

Could she be getting ready to molt? My girls got paler combs and seemed to feel off, and that's what it was...

 

[gritsar]

I've checked for eggbound. I don't feel anything. They are fixing to go into a moult.
When I just now went out to the coop to get her she ate a cricket that I found on my way out there.
She's now in the crate, in my bedroom and I have the a/c cranking out the cold air, plus the ceiling fan going on high. I put a bowl of cool electrolytes water right in front of her.
I am sooooo glad my DH had to go into work early today. Let's jusst say he wouldn't be pleased about having a chicken in our bedroom.

 

[obe10]

oh ok well i hope she is gonna be all right

 

[redhen]

Whats she doing now? What do they say to give a hen incase of eggbound? A crushed up Tums? Do you know if shes laid recently/today?

 

[jjthink]

Yes, if eggbound is suspected, a crushed up Tums. Mix with water and gently dribble along beak line with a dropper.

To any DH's or DW's or SO's who aren't pleased about a bird needing refuge in cool house when unwell, they are banished to the coop in sweltering weather and assigned the task of giving birth to a 16 pound bowling ball.

Hope she'll be okay!!!!!
JJ